Aztreonam

Aztreonam is a synthetic monobactam antibiotic that treats infections caused by susceptible aerobic Gram-negative bacteria. It binds penicillin-binding protein 3 and disrupts bacterial cell-wall synthesis.

Monobactam: A class of β-lactam antibiotics with a single β-lactam ring. Aztreonam is the best-known monobactam used clinically.
Aerobic bacteria: Bacteria that grow using oxygen in their metabolism. Aztreonam is active against susceptible aerobic bacteria, not anaerobes.
Carbapenem: A broad-spectrum class of β-lactam antibiotics that includes meropenem and imipenem. Carbapenems cover many Gram-positive and anaerobic bacteria that aztreonam does not.
Beta-lactam: A four-membered cyclic amide ring found in several major antibiotic classes. This ring is the defining structural feature of aztreonam and its antibiotic family.
Penicillin-binding protein 3: A bacterial cell-division protein that builds peptidoglycan in the septal cell wall. Aztreonam preferentially binds this target, disrupting cell-wall construction during division.
Gram-negative bacteria: Bacteria that do not retain crystal violet stain after Gram staining and have a characteristic outer membrane. Aztreonam’s clinical activity is concentrated on susceptible members of this group.
Ceftazidime: A third-generation cephalosporin antibiotic with activity against several Gram-negative bacteria, including susceptible Pseudomonas aeruginosa. It shares some Gram-negative targets with aztreonam but has a broader spectrum.
Gram stain: A laboratory staining method that distinguishes bacteria by cell-envelope properties. The Gram-negative cell envelope helps explain aztreonam’s selective access and activity.
β-lactam antibiotic: An antibiotic containing a β-lactam ring that interferes with bacterial cell-wall synthesis. Aztreonam shares this drug family’s target, despite its distinctive single-ring structure.
Pseudomonas aeruginosa: An aerobic Gram-negative bacterium that can cause difficult-to-treat infections, especially in healthcare settings. Susceptible strains are among the important targets of aztreonam therapy.

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